There was no limousine waiting when Bruce Springsteen landed in Salt Lake City 40 years ago this week. Springsteen, who already was one of the biggest names in rock ’n’ roll, would spend the next few days driving, riding and even sleeping in a used car.
His closest bandmate and sidekick, Steven Van Zandt, accompanied him on the trip. Springsteen also was traveling with someone else who had a role in making him famous — photographer Eric Meola. Together, in that red convertible Meola rented, they drove west on Interstate 80, across the Bonneville Salt Flats and into Nevada.